“Co-Design Challenge Pitch #4” Event Report: “Spreading Japan’s New Value to the World through Design and Manufacturing” — 22 Challenges to Shape Japan’s Future Lives — Co-Design Challenge PR Secretariat Press Release: September 9, 2025 To Members of the Media “Co-Design Challenge Pitch #4” Event Report: “Spreading Japan’s New Value to the World through Design and Manufacturing” — 22 Challenges to Shape Japan’s Future Lives — colourloop, Canadavia, Sustainable Generation, and Dots and Lines will be speaking! A look behind the scenes at the passion and challenges behind the product The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition (Suminoe Ward, Osaka City; Secretary General: Hiroyuki Ishige), a public interest incorporated association, is taking the 2025 World Exposition (Osaka-Kansai Expo) as an opportunity to rethink various aspects of “Japanese lifestyles (cities) of the future” and launch the “Co-Design Challenge” program (hereinafter “CDC”) in 2022. This program aims to realize new products at the Expo through co-creation with a variety of stakeholders. The first phase (CDC2023) involved the development of products aimed at solving social issues. In the second phase (CDC2024), in addition to development, the program also includes open factory tours, manufacturing experiences, and other initiatives aimed at attracting visitors to the local area. The fourth Co-Design Challenge Pitch #4—Spreading Japan’s new value to the world through design and manufacturing: 22 challenges to shape Japan’s future lifestyles—was held on Thursday, September 4th at Future Life Village (FLV) within the Expo site. At the event, businesses participating in CDC shared their approaches to solving their own problems, the passion they put into their products, and their visions for the future. The event was hosted by Toshiyuki Konishi and Jin Kuramoto, and featured four speakers: colorloop Inc., Canadavia Co., Ltd., Sustainable Generation General Incorporated Association, and Dots and Lines Inc. Each company presented on the social issues they face, the products they have developed to address them, and their outlook for the post-Expo era. The Co-Design Challenge Pitch is scheduled to be held five times in total, with the fifth and final session scheduled for Monday, September 22nd.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-86be4f438528ff42a4f2b23922abbd90-3699×2471.jpg What does it mean to design “the way we live in the future”? Mr. Konishi and Mr. Kuramoto talk about the thoughts behind CDC Navigator Konishi began the event by introducing the CDC, saying, “CDC is an initiative that combines a design perspective and co-creation to create great things and change the world.” He reflected on his work with the businesses, saying, “As we worked together with creators to create something new, we were able to create something impressive and very eye-catching.” Mr. Kuramoto also handed the baton to the four companies, saying, “We will install the products we create at the Expo and provide feedback. We hope that it will function as a venue for such social experiments.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-66a2ca0a9702434f5c51f61dafe3e492-3758×2510.jpg colorloop Inc. The first speaker was Motoko Uchimaru, CEO of colorloop Inc., a venture spun out of the Kyoto Institute of Technology that is working on a color-based textile recycling system. “The world generates 92 million tons of discarded textiles annually, and 2 million tons in Japan, with a recycling rate of 20-30%,” he explained. He continued, explaining that the reason recycling is not progressing is that “various types of fibers are blended and woven together, making them difficult to use.” Uchimaru then set his sights on sorting and recycling discarded textiles by color. He has successfully quantified the color sorting, enabling the system to be deployed for a variety of uses. Uchimaru applied to CDC out of a strong desire to use unwearable clothing as materials to give them a new lease on life. We teamed up with furniture design firm “abode” and textile supplier “Nakano” to develop a bench made from discarded clothing. Handcrafted by Kyoto furniture artisans, the bench is designed to be practical, durable, and comfortable. The bench at the venue is made from the equivalent of 3,000 discarded T-shirts (each weighing 100 grams). Uchimaru concluded with a powerful statement: “We want to propose a rich, enjoyable, and circular society.”
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-822109b16f5e5812ab486330685bfd51-3900×2605.jpg Canadevia Co., Ltd. Canadevia Co., Ltd., which changed its name from Hitachi Zosen in October 2024, took the stage with Hiroshi Odagiri, manager of the company. They applied to the CDC in order to create a society where resources are recycled through individual waste sorting, emphasizing that “most waste is a valuable resource that can be reused.” Odagiri introduced “Smart Collection Boxes and Smartphone Apps That Will Make You Want to Contribute to Resource Recycling.” The smart collection boxes collect compostable tableware used by food trucks. A height sensor installed on the ceiling measures the height of the contents. If the height exceeds a set value, a notification email regarding collection is sent to the business. The smartphone app, titled “Thinking about the SDGs with Shimajiro,” is aimed at children and allows them to learn about resource recycling while having fun playing four games. Daiei Kankyo, Daiei Kankyo Soken, and Canada Beer participated in the project linking the smart collection box with a smartphone app. While the project focused on reflecting the combination of “design and manufacturing,” the participants also discussed how they are currently continuing to improve the app despite the challenges and difficulties they face, such as how to best express it in easy-to-understand illustrations and how to increase access to the app. Finally, they once again promoted the smart collection box and smartphone app.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-6a337d36b603bc810241f7c53a9c6425-3900×2605.jpg Sustainable Generation General Incorporated Association Next to take the stage was Mika Takagi, president of Takagi Packaging Co., Ltd., and director of Sustainable Generation, a general incorporated association established by young business leaders in Nara Prefecture to connect Nara’s history to regional revitalization. She participated in CDC because she saw it as an opportunity to “discover the potential of cardboard. I want to design the future using environmentally friendly cardboard.” She introduced a “display stand” made from recycled paper, which is lightweight, strong, and allows for a variety of design possibilities. Each display stand is made of reinforced cardboard, cut into 100 pieces and assembled together. This allows for a completely plastic- and metal-free assembly, making it recyclable, allowing for flexible curves and providing ample strength. Fourteen of these innovatively designed display stands, weighing a total of 25 kg, have been installed within the Future Life Village and are used by various organizations to present their proposals for future
lifestyles. Takagi Packaging produces cardboard cases equivalent in area to 100 Koshien Stadiums per year. Takagi commented, “We’ve been able to promote sustainable, value-added products to the world, rather than just using cardboard boxes for transportation that are no longer needed after use.”
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-9582b78edfdad729c06bcf93bf079664-3900×2605.jpg Dots and Lines Co., Ltd. “We want to take on the world from
Tsubame-Sanjo,” said Kazuya Saito, CEO of Dots and Lines Co., Ltd. He introduced a “chair made from a single piece of wood with 99% yield,” which was created in collaboration with JR East in the Tsubame-Sanjo area of Niigata Prefecture, with eight companies involved in materials, sheet metal, welding, and other fields working together. With waste disposal becoming a social issue, the titanium chair installed on the TE Stage in Future Life Village was developed as a bold shift in thinking, challenging the idea of ”not throwing away” to “not producing.” Saito explains that the key to its creation lies in its “origami-inspired, single-piece construction.” Lightweight, high-strength titanium is laser-cut to create folds with small holes, then bent and welded by hand. The chair is then colored using “oxidation coloring,” a process that applies color to the metal without painting, and then polished to a mirror finish. Current technology produces a small amount of waste when creating the folded lines, resulting in a yield rate of 99%. However, Saito said that he will continue striving for 100% even after the Expo. He concluded by saying, “CDC has given us a glimpse into the future. We hope to use this to help establish regional travel and industrial tourism.”
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-398d06c4969345673402edee6e40817d-3900×2605.jpg Mr. Konishi and Mr. Kuramoto, along with the four companies, discussed the results of their co-creation and the future after completing their respective challenges. “ Takagi commented, “Nothing can be created by one person or one company alone. I hope to achieve something through this opportunity for co-creation.” Saito reaffirmed his determination, saying, “It’s important to go beyond production and continue to develop our efforts to solve social issues.” When asked by Kuramoto about the value of design, Odagiri said, “When we were building the factory plant, we didn’t really think about design, but this time, we thought about how to make it understandable, and I realized a lot.” Uchimaru reflected on his experience, saying, “I want to focus on design to make as many people as possible happy.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-417dd8cf0be5e376674a86f567284d61-3900×2605.jpg Konishi encouraged the team, saying, “You’ve tried many things, but now it’s time for the real challenge.” Kuramoto expressed his gratitude, saying, “You can’t get anywhere unless you take the plunge. I’m grateful to have come across so many projects.” The four companies then spoke passionately about their future endeavors: Uchimaru, “A society where recycled materials play a central role,” Odagiri, “We will become a company that contributes to resource recycling,” Takagi, “We want to spread the power of manufacturing and connect it to regional revitalization,” and Saito, “We will make Tsubame-Sanjo the world’s best manufacturing town.” Finally, Mr. Konishi announced the fifth and final event, to be held on September 22nd, saying, “Please look forward to it,” and the fourth Co-Design Challenge Pitch came to a close. Introduction of the Fourth Speaker ■Navigator Toshiyuki Konishi Creative director/copywriter at POOL INC. His work ranges from commercial production to urban development and national strategy building. He has worked on many hit commercials, including “Iyemon,” “PlayStation,” and “Memories Over Things.” He has also worked on branding, including corporate identity, for many companies. Jin Kuramoto JIN KURAMOTO STUDIO Representative/Product Designer. He is involved in design development for a wide range of genres, from furniture, home appliances, and eyewear to automobiles. We place emphasis on a hands-on development process that involves repeated trial and error of function and structure while directly interacting with materials and ingredients. We have received numerous awards, including the iF Design Award, Good Design Award, and Red Dot Design Award. ■Businesses colorloop Inc. (Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture) – Upcycling waste textiles by color – Designing future “benches” that contribute to a circular economy Canadevia Co., Ltd. (Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture) Smart collection boxes and smartphone apps that encourage you to contribute to resource recycling Sustainable Generation General Incorporated Association (Koryo-cho,
Kitakatsuragi-gun, Nara Prefecture) “Display stands” made from recycled paper are lightweight, strong, and versatile in their design. Dots and Lines Co., Ltd. (Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture) Designing the “chair” of the future – A chair made from a single piece of wood with 99% yield – *For details on the presenting companies, please refer to the attached document below. The next event will be held on Monday, September 22nd. The event will be hosted by Seiichi Saito and Shinji Yajima, and speakers will include KOKUYO Co., Ltd., &SPACE PROJECT, and Tomoyasu Seisakusho Co., Ltd. Please join us for the final event, “Co-Design Challenge Pitch #5.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-5fce7209aae60c7474909f7e07821e2a-1921×1081.jpg ■Date and Time: Monday, September 22, 2025, Start Time: 1:30 PM, End Time: 4:00 PM (scheduled) ■Location: Osaka-Kansai Expo, Future Life Village TE Stage Building ■Navigators: Seiichi Saito and Shinji Yajima
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-664b984ef4f8c5c60ada5c98d5cf02c0-2624×2700.jpg Seiichi Saito EXPO Co-Creation Program Director Representative of the Expo Outcome Design Committee (EODC). Co-Creation Program Director for the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo EXPO. Founder of Panoramatics. Studied architectural design at Columbia University’s School of Architecture and Design (MSAAD) and began working in New York in 2000. Founded Rhizomatiks Co., Ltd. (now Abstract Engine Co., Ltd.) in 2006. Leads the in-house architecture division, Panoramatics, and also serves as a planning and implementation advisor for numerous government agencies and companies. Has served as chairman of the Good Design Award judging committee since 2023.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-89b4d604d1176b238473b8e32c00955a-720×624.jpg Shinji Yajima Executive Director of the Japan Institute of Design Promotion (JDP). He is responsible for numerous design promotion projects, including the Good Design Award, Tokyo Midtown Design Hub, the Tokyo Business Design Award, and regional design support. He is a part-time lecturer at Musashino Art University, Tokyo Metropolitan University Graduate School, and Kyushu University Graduate School. He is also a member of the Mainichi Design Award Research Committee. ■Speaking Company: KOKUYO Co., Ltd. &SPACE PROJECT Tomoyasu Seisakusho Co., Ltd. ■Organizer: Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition (Public Interest Incorporated Association) ■Official website: https://www.expo2025.or.jp/co-creation-index/co-design-challenge/
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-3861c00fd83f967bb25787829060fa12-576×383.png *An Osaka-Kansai Expo ticket is required for admission to the Expo site. Osaka-Kansai Expo Ticket Information | EXPO 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo Official Website https://www.expo2025.or.jp/tickets-index/ Participation in this event is free of charge. (No reservations required, free entry and exit)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-c5b3e8922a15dbc5467b5571741c3ae5-1921×1081.jpg Wooden bench using domestic and local materials Representative company/organization: KOKUYO Co., Ltd. (Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture) Cooperating companies/organizations: VUILD Co., Ltd., Itami City, Kawachinagano City, Shimanto Town We will create wooden benches using domestic and local materials from all over the country and install them at the Expo venue.We will also create an opportunity to reevaluate Japan’s forestry industry by learning about the issues facing the forest environment and having fun confronting social issues. 紹介動画：https://youtu.be/KfUjZKr4QRY
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-b34ad5c71afea610e9a1f74dc5f87f38-3900×2605.jpg “Space Rocket Upcycle Project “&SPACE PROJECT” Representative company/organization: ADDReC Co., Ltd. (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo)
Cooperating companies/organizations: Kushiro Seisakusho Co., Ltd., Gomei Co., Ltd., Tokuji Furniture Industry Co., Ltd., Ningen Co., Ltd., Hitotoneki Co., Ltd., Leaf Design Park Co., Ltd., DOKASEN Co., Ltd., SATOKEN Co., Ltd., 11 Co., Ltd. We will lend you the upcycled furniture “Space Tank Bench,” which is made from a test fuel tank made from space rocket development waste. We also aim to have you come into contact with the space industry in the Tokachi area and feel closer to space. 紹介動画：https://youtu.be/7jTHl2w-EBw
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-ac57874b2c780ee6f43396fb70811afe-3900×2605.jpg Courtyard stools and tables made from scraps and scraps ~ LIVE!SM (Live-ism) Living but Brewing ~ Representative company/organization: Tomoyasu Seisakusho Co., Ltd. (Yao City, Osaka Prefecture) Cooperating companies/organizations: O2 Co., Ltd., Kawabe Shokai Co., Ltd., Koizumi Seisakusho Co., Ltd., Matsumura Button Co., Ltd., Yao Wire Net Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Based on the spirit of “MOTTAINAI,” we provide table sets that make use of scrap materials and create new value from discarded items. In addition, we view manufacturing, which is not a common tourist resource, but a resource unique to the region, as “entertainment.” By infiltrating manufacturing sites, you can enjoy manufacturing experiences and manufacturing entertainment from a different perspective in each “koba”.
紹介動画：https://youtu.be/XnI0Oo4r6ck?si=KdMETRI2VGH5E6Td
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-cadec502aa11a0afe5bce7b008664dfe-3674×2454.jpg 「2025年大阪・関西万博」 The 2025 Osaka/Kansai Expo, which is being held from April 13th to October 13th, has the theme of “Designing a future society where life shines”. Under the three subthemes of “saving lives,” “empowering lives,” and “connecting lives,” countries around the world are making a variety of proposals and efforts are being made toward a future society. The latest technologies and ideas in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), energy,
transportation, and urban development will be showcased, with the concept of a sustainable society for everyone at its core. From Yumeshima, Osaka, we continue to communicate to the world the importance of cultural understanding and diversity to create a better future for all people.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-ed97581c0c7ec70ce9781c379cd8bf97-172×241.jpg What is the “Co-Design Challenge” program The Co-Design Challenge program uses the Osaka/Kansai Expo as an opportunity to explore various aspects of Japan’s future lifestyle (towns). This is a project to rethink the concept and realize new things at the Expo through co-creation with a variety of players. By taking advantage of the opportunity of the Expo to develop new products and services, we will work to solve current social issues and realize the future society that the Expo aims for. The Co-Design Challenge program was created under the supervision of the Expo Outcome Design Committee, a committee set up by our association that examines the future society that should be implemented at the Osaka/Kansai Expo from a design perspective. This program solicited applications twice. The first round of recruitment (Co-Design Challenge 2023) is for the development of products, and the second round of recruitment (Co-Design Challenge 2024) is for the development of products, as well as initiatives (open factories) that will open up the production sites and workshops in “each location across Japan” where those products were made from the perspective of “attracting customers to the region” and allow visitors to experience manufacturing firsthand. Products created through 22 projects will be installed at the Osaka/Kansai Expo, which opened on April 13th, and visitors will be able to touch them. Furthermore, this event, “Spreading Japan’s new value to the world through design x manufacturing”, provided an opportunity for businesses to talk in their own words about their approach to social issues, the thoughts behind their projects, and their vision for the future. Additionally, two exhibition stands introducing the CDC have been set up in Future Life Village. The installation is scheduled to last until the end of the Expo (*There may be cases where the exhibit is not on display at one time). Through these efforts, CDC will advance the realization of the future society that the Expo aims for. 体験企画 詳細情報
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-cc38a8f7274d1efd39741723cec1d52c-1929×2700.png *This is the current schedule, and the contents may change in the future *1: https://www.expo2025travel.jp/top/detail/bokun/1039280/ ※２：https://www.expo2025travel.jp/top/detail/bokun/715881/
※３：https://www.expo2025travel.jp/top/detail/bokun/732220/
※４：https://www.expo2025travel.jp/top/detail/bokun/815909/
※５：https://www.expo2025travel.jp/top/detail/bokun/1047780/
※６：https://www.expo2025travel.jp/top/detail/bokun/1057576/
Osaka/Kansai Expo venue planned installation location
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/154689/13/154689-13-82f34f85b5331a48cac6d7e16c3d8e61-2048×1152.jpg *Future Life Village is located on the west side of the venue (Future Life Zone).
